Community Meals are at the Heart of FareStart

August 31, 2018

It is no secret that the most vulnerable among us struggle with hunger, and sometimes the food available is highly processed, cold or low in nutrition. At FareStart, we think that needs to change. Through our Community Meals Program we provide healthy, warm, delicious meals to shelters, low-income healthcare facilities and organizations across the city prepared by our Adult Culinary students.

Our 16-week Adult Culinary Program provides a combination of support and training while working alongside talented chefs in working kitchens. They are producing real meals for real people and the first phase of the program starts in our Community Meals kitchen.

Adult Culinary students prepare the meals in our Community Meals kitchen at our Virginia Street location under the direct supervision and guidance of our chef instructors. We think that teaching skills that produce large amounts of food for people who need first, is a foundational lesson. Some students have in the past eaten food that we provided to a shelter where they had stayed. Being able to give back to the community right out of the gate instills a sense of pride.

We deliver meals every day, 365 days a year, rain or shine across the city. In 26 years, we have never missed a day.

Staff and volunteers deliver the meals to our participating organizations and our Adult Culinary students ride along to see the impact they are having with their own eyes. We load up the vans, double and triple check that we have everything scheduled to go out and then it’s out to fight the Seattle afternoon traffic as we crisscross the city to deliver meals.

Want to volunteer in 2019?

At the end of every delivery day, students, staff and FareStart volunteers serve meals at the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC). Our students see how good food served with compassion can change someone’s entire day. The work they are doing in the kitchen can make a difference to more than just their own lives.